Manila building hit by fire was already being torn down

MANILA, Philippines — Barely a week after nearly 300 families lost their houses to a fire on Quiricada Street, another blaze gutted on Saturday afternoon the Santa Cruz Building on Escolta Street in Santa Cruz, Manila.

Insp. John Joseph Jalique of the Manila Fire Department said the demolition of the building, considered a heritage structure, was already 80 percent complete when a blaze started around 4 p.m.

It reached the second alarm at 4:48 p.m. before it was declared out at 6:42 p.m.

Authorities estimated the damage at around P1,000 since the structure had long been abandoned.

Residents near the area said that people sometimes burned garbage in the vicinity of the building, but Jalique clarified that this could not yet be confirmed as investigators had yet to determine the cause of the fire.

He confirmed, however, that the building was the only affected structure as the fire did not spread to neighboring residential buildings.

Jalique added that they would check whether there was a demolition permit for the structure. —Meg Adonis